


Wanted

by DragonWannabe



Series: Acceptance [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Emotionally stunted!Lin, Except Lin Beifong is a badass who they love dearly, Gen, Katara and Lin are close don’t @ me with any canon references that says they aren’t, Lin Beifong Centric, Lin is trying very hard not to be Tenzin’s kids Aunt, Self-Esteem Issues, Un-Beta’d
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26619436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonWannabe/pseuds/DragonWannabe
Summary: It has been a very long time since Lin has been wanted for anything outside of work.
Relationships: Katara & Lin Beifong, Lin Beifong & Meelo
Series: Acceptance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953949
Comments: 17
Kudos: 121





	Wanted

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Woodsmoke and Jasmine (Citrus and the Sea)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26381362) by [PrioritiesSorted](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrioritiesSorted/pseuds/PrioritiesSorted). 



At the age of 4, her mother had made her feel wanted, singing soft lullabies about badgermoles. 

At age 8, Su toddled after her, and her mother wasn’t around as much as she used to be. Lin watched Su. Aunt Katara and the air acolytes watched the two of them most days, and Lin was in charge when they weren’t on the island. Su was practically a second shadow to the older girl, and Lin felt a small warmth in her chest that her sister wanted her and needed her and Lin loved her so much.

Bumi loved teasing her and Tenzin when she was old enough to realize she had feelings beyond friendship. Kya was always willing to prank Bumi in response. Tenzin _liked_ her serious personality, seeking her out to mediate with as she worked on her studies or worked on her refined bending styles. 

Bumi left for the United Forces. Kya disappeared with the claim that she needed to travel. Lin sent letters and only received occasional, sporadic responses before stopping. 

Su didn’t need Lin around when she was 13, and by 16 she loudly proclaimed that she didn’t want Lin either. Their last fight cemented the fact that Su didn’t want Lin anymore. Su _hated_ her.

Even if her mother wouldn’t outright say it, Lin was reasonably certain she didn’t want her either. She had _needed_ Lin, needed her to help watch Su when Toph worked long hours, needed her to not be an embarrassment at the police station, needed her to watch the other officers because Lin was the best, trained by the best. After arresting her sister, her mother pulled back. She didn’t need Lin to watch the daughter she sent to Gaoling. She didn’t need Lin to prove herself to the other officers.

When Toph left with hardly a goodbye, the nagging voice that insisted that her mother didn’t want or need her grew louder. Lin was reminded of how Su received all attention once she was born. How _Lin_ was the bad guy who wouldn’t let her baby sister fool around with the Triads. She was reminded of the time she overheard Uncle Sokka and her mother talking about how she didn’t originally want children. Lin had been so determined to prove her wrong, adopting a serious demeanor in an attempt to not be a childlike child and following in her footsteps towards the police department. She had stepped in to help raise Su, hadn’t complained about bending lessons.

And still her mother hadn’t wanted her enough to even say a proper goodbye or say where she was going.

Tenzin still wanted Lin. He still liked her serious personality, still liked her work ethic. He wanted to spend time with her without requiring sacrifices from Lin. When he spent the night at her apartment, Lin liked to imagine them as they grew older, with the comfortable ease they shared. That when she retired from the force, she could live on Air Temple Island and maybe teach a few metalbenders how things were done.

Uncle Aang and Katara effusively declared that she was always welcome on the island for dinner and that they wanted to see her more often after her promotion to Chief of Police.

Lin nestled into her role as protector of the city that _needed_ her with her chosen family that wanted her around.

Then Aang got sick. Kya and Bumi returned to the island and Katara did everything she could to prolong the inevitable. Even her mother returned from whatever Spirits cursed cave she had been hiding in to visit him one last time before disappearing again.

The entire city mourned the loss of one of its founding members. Lin missed him. She missed his gentle smile and perpetual humor. She missed his welcoming words.

——

Tenzin had been fidgety around her for two weeks. Katara moved to the South Pole, Bumi’s leave was over, and Kya disappeared again. Lin sent letters to all of them, but Katara was the only one who responded consistently.

Tenzin wanted her to visit the island more, and he had stopped visiting her apartment all together. Each time she visited him under the guise of official business, he refused to drop his formal attitude, citing regulations.

Her last personal visit to the island was a disaster. They shared a private dinner in his family’s dining room. Each time she looked at Tenzin, her gut twisted. She couldn’t recall he looked so miserable, bar the funeral.

They cleaned the dishes, and she wasn’t the most tactile of people, but she knew that he needed comforted. She held his hand and waited for him to talk.

He began to talk, telling her that he loved her and then demanded sacrifices from her, sacrifices she couldn’t give. She was already older, and he kept insisting it had to be soon. Lin had already done a terrible job raising Su, who had to be exiled from Republic City to prevent the destruction of her family’s careers and the ruination of Su’s life. She wouldn’t do it again. She wouldn’t even risk it. 

He had mentioned before, wanting children, but the conversation always seemed so far away, something she didn’t have to confront then.

“Tenzin, I told you when we were in our twenties that I didn’t want any kids.” She had. She had told him repeatedly.

“I had thought you might...” he sighed. He had thought she might change her mind, might ruin her life like her mom did. 

The first giant crack that appeared on the island was an accident. 35 and Lin couldn’t control her bending in the face of the ultimatum Tenzin gave her. She tried to ignore thick lump in her throat as she stood up and stalked out of the room. The ferry would be leaving soon, and there was no point in her being on the island if he didn’t want her anymore.

He ran after her, talking about how they could still be friends, even as they both moved on with their lives. 

“Have you already found someone else?” Lin demanded. Fifteen years. Fifteen years and he wanted to throw it away, and for someone else who didn’t even _know_ him. Who couldn’t know him like she did. Who wasn’t there for him when he received his tattoos, when his siblings left him, when his father died. 

His hesitation told her enough. “Who is it?” Tenzin closed his mouth. “Spirits damn you! Who is she?” she had the right to know who had convinced him to leave. Who had ruined her family.

She looked up at the hill, and saw a girl, barely the age the two of them had been when they started dating. Tenzin followed her gaze, and she knew. 

“Lin, Pema and I—“ He started, but Lin didn’t want to listen any longer. She had met the air acolyte.

“You’re leaving me for a _child_?” She yelled. A hole formed beneath him and giant rocks pelted him. He jumped out of the way. “I’m sorry I wasn’t _young_ enough to be deluded into being your broodmare, Tenzin.” she sneered. 

The girl in question looked horrified. Good. Maybe she would see the fool she had been made.

“Pema is not—! Lin, stop this!” He rushed to defend her. She altered her target, sending smaller rocks to pelt the whore. Tenzin sent a gust of wind to blow them off course and the girl rushed off. 

Her breath hitched and she blinked away the tears that threatened to fall and the damned ferry was no where to be found. “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do, Tenzin! I’m not one of your groupies that obeys your every word!” Even if that was apparently what he wanted. An obedient wife who would pop out as many little children as he wanted. 

She had worn casual clothing, assuming this was a normal visit, that he would tell her what was bothering him, that they would fall into bed, and she would leave on the last ferry back to the city. Lin sorely missed her cables. The metal fence that she had helped construct for her Uncle was the only thing in her sight and she ripped a section out, sending it towards Tenzin. He blasted it away, and she regretting sparring with him so much. Of all the people in the city, he knew her best and could anticipate her moves when she was at her peak. Anger and sorrow coursing through her, she was not at her peak. She turned fence into a series of daggers, and sent them towards him. The cliff nearby started to crumble and she hurled boulder after boulder at him.He just kept _dodging_ , never going on the offensive. 

The lights on the ferry were in sight, and Lin wanted to sob at how relieved she was that she wasn’t stuck here for much longer. A large splash came from the water as a ten foot overhang fell in, destabilized from her relentless attacks. 

Boulders littered the steps to the Temple, and at least one statue was ruined. Tenzin was panting and looking at her warily, gaze shifting towards the ferry that was getting closer and closer. 

“Do not talk to me again except for official business again, _Councilman Tenzin_.” she spat.

“Lin—“ he tried placating her. 

“You lost that right, Councilman. Go! Go hide you spineless coward!” She screamed and shook the ground for emphasis. Tenzin looked at her sadly, pity on his face. 

The ferry docked, and Lin wasted no time stalking down towards the pier. He made a move to follow her and she raised a wall that even he would find some difficult in leaping over. She launched herself towards the boat. The singular passenger looked at her disheveled appearance, eyes wide.

“I want to go home. Now.” she demanded of the ferry captain. “Anyone else on this island should have been on time.”

The captain hesitated, looking up the hill. Lin followed his gaze, where Tenzin was standing on the other side of a hole he had blown through her wall. 

The older man nodded, and the captain started moving the boat towards the city. Before she was too far, pillars attacked Tenzin from all sides, and she heard a grunt. She didn’t need his approval to leave. 

Satisfied she turned to face the city. She stayed silent for the rest of the trip, trying to quell the tears still threatening to stream down her face. The captain said nothing. 

After docking, she walked briskly to her apartment. Typically she used public transportation to go from the dock to her home, but a walk would do her good. Perhaps she would be so worn out that she just... fell asleep when she got home.

Thirty minutes later, she entered her building and stepped in the transportation shaft and propelled herself to her floor.

She slammed her door, grateful she was the only one on this floor. A twitch of her fingers and the door was locked. 

Overwhelming silence greeted her. A few blinks, a few breaths later, Lin kneeled on the floor, sobbing.

——

She couldn’t not go in to work just because she felt sorry for herself. He had no right to uproot her life like that. If their hypothetical children were a dealbreaker to him, he shouldn’t have strung her along for ten years, hoping she would change her mind.

Typically her office door remained open, but she decided that she wanted to avoid any interruptions to her day. Izumi had gifted Lin a hot plate for her thirtieth birthday, and Lin kept it in her office so she wouldn’t have to make the others uncomfortable in the main break room. She periodically made herself tea, cycling through the seemingly never ending pile of papers on her desk.

Assistant Chief Mora knocked once to add to the stack, having collected all the files from the others in the office to avoid interrupting her. 

Lin continued slogging through the paperwork on her desk until her vision was blurry and she couldn’t see the words on the page. She rubbed her forehead and looked at the time. It was already nearing midnight, and exhausted as she was, Lin didn’t want to go home to her silent apartment just to have a repeat of the previous night. 

She made another cup of tea, and started another file. As her blinks got longer and longer, she thought she could risk it. She packed her bag and walked home. This time walking in didn’t feel like the emptiness was trying to swallow her whole.

She took off her uniform and fell into bed, exhausted. 

——

Her new work ethic bothered her subordinates, who were used to her long hours but never an omnipresent presence like this. She didn’t care.

After what she did to Aang’s island, she wanted to wait until Katara responded before sending another letter. Perhaps she didn’t want Lin anymore after her son kicked her out of his life. Lin knew better to impose. 

His siblings would probably choose him over her too. If they didn’t respond she could take the hint, like she apparently hadn’t in her twenties.

She wrote a letter with the little bumps that her mother helped popularize in the force, and sent it to the last known location of Toph. It was nothing more than a bland status update. She didn’t expect a response. 

It wasn’t like she had anything else waiting for her outside work. The only thing that had her keeping semi-regular hours before was Tenzin, and now with that factor removed, what was she supposed to do?

——

Katara responded, saying that she was still family, regardless of her relationship with Tenzin. A weight that she didn’t know was resting on her was lifted at this revelation. 

——

Arrests were at all time high, from Triad members to petty thieves. Chief Beifong joined random officers on patrol to see how they behaved. 

She was no nonsense, didn’t tolerate poor performance. But she wasn’t someone her officers needed to be fearful of in the day to day. She built a quiet rapport with many of the officers, who trusted her implicitly.

She ignored the rumors that she was a heartless witch. Each time she heard the rumor’s start again, some up and coming young officer would shut them down. That would have to be enough. Lin wouldn’t give them the credence of acknowledgement. 

Republic City _needed_ her, and that would have to be enough.

——

Tenzin and the girl got married. It was a public affair.

Officially, due to Tenzin’s position on the council and his status as the last airbender, the police force was assigned to maintain security at the wedding. 

Lin stayed on the boat patrolling the water and let Mora be the police representative at the actual event. No one wanted their exgirlfriend at their wedding, even Lin knew that much. 

——

The day one of her officers brought in Pema, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, pure conjecture on the arresting officer’s end, Lin was unsure of what to do. The petty, still reeling from the betrayal, part of her wanted to drag this out as much as possible. The larger part, the demand that her officers should only be dispensing justice and not revenge wanted the girl gone before Tenzin arrived.

The girl hadn’t been involved in the riot, but that didn’t mean Lin couldn’t make her sweat and understand the consequences of not being vigilant. It was a learning experience. 

She sat in an interrogation room, hands cuffed to the table. Lin let her stew for a couple minutes before walking in and sitting down.

The acolyte looked up, words proclaiming her innocence dying on her lips as she realized who had walked in.

“Chi—Chief Beifong.” she stuttered. Good. She should know that Lin was dangerous. Especially after the last time she saw this... child. 

“Pema, I didn’t think a riot suited you.” She tried keeping the resentment out of her tone, and didn’t quite succeed. “I thought acolytes weren’t supposed to get involved with the affairs of the city.”

“You know I wasn’t there for a riot!” She squealed, voice breaking in what could be fear. 

And yeah, Lin did know that. The riot had taken place near a market, one that Lin knew the acolytes frequented. They sold the raw materials for the island at good prices. 

She hadn’t released the girl soon enough, because Tenzin barged in with a gust of wind.

“Lin! What is the meaning of this?” he demanded. 

“Chief Beifong, Councilman. It appears that your Pema was,” she flipped open the file, pretending to read it, “suspected of starting a riot that caused thousands of yuan in damage and resisting arrest.”

“Li—“ he started again. 

“Chief Beifong.” she interrupted. Every interaction they’d had at city hall was stilted, but he did only speak to her formally, no more friendly asides like they had before. “We are not friends.”

He gave her an imploring look. “ _Chief Beifong_ , you and I both are aware this arrest was flimsy attempt to—“

“To what, Councilman? Are you accusing me of abusing my authority?” She wasn’t Toph. She didn’t do that. Even when her officers gave her the perfect opportunity. “Before you barged in here, we were seconds away from clearing these charges all together, weren’t we, Pema?”

Lin looked at the slip of a thing in front of her, who hesitantly nodded. She tightened the cuffs to the point that Pema began to grimace, before letting them clatter to the table.

She quickly stood and rushed to her husband’s side. The large bump under the shapeless robes was impossible to ignore. She hadn’t realized, but quietly retracting her shoe, yes, there were three heartbeats in this room, not including herself.

“I would suggest you pay more attention to your surroundings to avoid trouble in the future. You’re free to go. I don’t want to see you here again; it will be harder next time to dismiss the charges.” 

Tenzin looked at her, scrutinizing, before wrapping his arm around his child bride and leaving the station.

She remembered that feeling from their youth, after he was finally taller than her, wanting to offer comfort.

She didn’t miss it.

——

Well, she did a little.

——

The door was shut behind Officer Lao. She waited until he sat in the seat across from her.

“This will not happen again. I will write you or any other officer up for insubordination if it does, am I clear?” He knew the pacifistic pregnant woman had nothing to do with the anarchist riot. She had better officers than that. Lao had a spotless record until now, receiving commendations from nearly all of his superior officers since he joined the force six years previous.

“Yes, Chief Beifong.” He looked contrite and definitely fearful, not too dissimilar from the kid he had brought in earlier.

“You are also restricted to your desk for the rest of the week starting from the moment you walk through that door and will be on nights next week.” He looked like he wanted to protest the punishment, but he was lucky he wasn’t suspended for abuse of authority. “Go help your fellow officers with their reports.” 

He stood up, taking the dismissal for what it was. As he reached for the door, “And Lao?” 

He turned, seeing the chief opening a new file. “Thanks.”

It had been satisfying to see Tenzin all flustered, even at the expense of the girl.

——

She sent letters to Katara with astonishing regularity, detailing the humor of some of her officers and the new growth in the city. 

Katara responded back with how the southern water tribe was starting festivals for more times of the year. 

Lin kept each letter in a lock box, tucked inside her closet. If she reread them at night, no one knew but her.

——

The metalbenders in the police department were the first choice for security at official Council functions.

It was there that she met Vornak, a water bender from the Northern Water Tribe. He was in the city discussing some new trade agreement. 

It wasn’t the first time someone had flirted with her at one of these stuffy events, but it was the first time she flirted back. He had kind eyes and had the benefit of being taller than her.

It had been years since Tenzin and Lin wasn’t looking for anything serious. She didn’t have the time for anything committed, but she could at least have a little fun outside of work.

——

She was content to let it rest after the gala, but he dropped in at the police station to chat with her and left her flowers and offered to go to dinner. 

She said yes to a singular date, hoping it would satisfy him enough so he would go away.

——

But their conversations weren’t terrible.

And their companionship was pleasant.

——

She started leaving the police station before the night watch had their break, and spent time with him instead. It reminded her of when she used to work more reasonable hours.

Vornak spent the night at her place more often than he did at his own, and Lin started to look forward to going home.

——

Katara never sent her biweekly reply to Lin, the first since she and Tenzin broke up five years previous. 

Lin waited an extra rotation. The weather between Republic City and the South Pole could be dicey at times, and it would be fair if Katara didn’t respond immediately all the time. 

——

After a month, Lin asked Vornak to take a letter to the post office for her, and she eagerly awaited a response. 

—— 

After two months with no letters from Katara, Lin was tempted to ask Tenzin if something had happened. But _she_ was the one who had built the wall between them, and she didn’t know if he knew that his mother and her kept in touch.

She sent a letter to Bumi, who was more reliable to contact.

——

She didn’t receive a response. 

Maybe Bumi was busy. Maybe Katara was busy. Lin hadn’t heard of a plague or the Avatar’s wife dying and surely Tenzin would have _told her_ if his mother was ill. Katara would have mentioned it; she wasn’t hesitant to gripe about aging in her letters, with how the cold affected her joints and all the healing in the world couldn’t stop arthritis forever.

——

When she brought it up to Vornak, six months after the letter to Bumi, he asked if he was her first relationship since Tenzin, and she realized how stupid she had been. 

Katara had taken pity on her for five flaming years. Had thought that Tenzin’s pathetic ex had no one else and needed the comfort that she provided.

No, Lin wasn’t her problem anymore now that she had one singular person who wanted her and didn’t need her. 

Katara didn’t have to provide support like she had done the first 40 years of Lin’s life. When her own mother was absent at the station and her father nonexistent. When Tenzin left her. 

Lin stormed out of the apartment and headed towards the precinct. The gym there would have to do for her to work off this rejection. She couldn’t damage the island a second time, not now after half a decade and two children.

——

A year passed and she and Vornak spent equal time at each other’s places. His work in the city was extended to a permanent position, and he didn’t mind her barely there free time because he understood with the number of meetings and proposals he had. Both of them were workaholics. Both of them liked the same food. The plays and music and entertainment they watched were similar enough. 

He invited her to another gala, not as security but as his date. She declined, but told him he was allowed to tell others they were together, if they asked. 

She never tried keeping him a secret, but there was no one for her to tell. He had a family and friends outside of her, and she hadn’t realized he was keeping her under wraps.

It was better that way, anyway. She had plenty of enemies in the Triads.

——

Tenzin approached her for the first time since Pema’s arrest to start a personal conversation after Vornak told people about them. 

“Lin.” He spoke quietly. 

“Can I help you, Councilman?” If he wasn’t going to respect her wishes, she would remind him again. 

“Lin, you didn’t have to stop talking to my mother because of me.” And flaming spirits, Tenzin really thought he was that important. 

“Councilman, I don’t see what you have to do with how I interact with Master Katara.”

Tenzin looked at her like she had something on her face. “Mom would like to hear from you, is all.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

——

The next letter remained unanswered, but Tenzin’s interference made her question if it had ever even been sent.

——

Vornak walked into his apartment to Lin sitting at his table, a box in front of her, papers neatly stacked inside.

He stopped, slowly closing the door.

“Lin, love, what are you looking at?” 

“You know what I’m looking at, Vornak.” She was determined to keep her voice even, unlike the last time. “Did you think I would never find out?” 

“You didn’t need _his_ family anymore. You have me. Keeping in touch with them just makes you look pathetic, Lin. Like you’re waiting for a shred of their attention.” He argued. 

“Interfering with someone’s mail is a class B crime. Explain to me why I shouldn’t arrest you now and press charges?” She didn’t want to ruin her credibility on the force. To arrest two ex’s (or ex’s new wife in Pema’s case)? That looked horrible, even if the girl had gone free and Vornak was guilty. Even if it wasn’t the same, Lin was starting to see why her mother felt that she had to send Su away.

“They were dangling their affection like a bone, trying to make you look weak! I just wanted to protect you!” He insisted, gesticulating towards the box on the table. “Look at you now, you even think they’ve talked to you and you’re willing to throw away everything!”

“We’re done here. Do not contact me again unless you would like to end up on the wrong side of a cell door. I will personally see to it.” She stood, holding the box of letters.

It was stupid of her to not see this years ago, when it had first started. Instead she had let herself think the worst of her almost-family. 

She certainly wasn’t worthy of their affection after that, but the least she could do was try to make up for it. And they didn’t have to know the exact reason why.

Before she could reach the door, Vornak grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her back. “Lin—“

Cables snaked around his arms, jerking them behind his back. “Ambassador Vornak, our relationship is over. Do not contact me again.” She sent him back towards his chair as she stalked out of his apartment.

She had removed everything from her apartment and his that didn’t belong there. Tenzin had sent a box of the things Lin left on Air Temple island to her apartment and it had resulted in another bout of tears.

Vornak wasn’t worth that, but she didn’t want to give him an opportunity to see her again anyway.

——

_Lin,_

_Your officers sound delightful and I’m relieved to hear that they are protecting Republic City with their all._

_In regards to your question about the South Pole: We now have a electric lights to light us during the Persistent Darkness, but when I was a little girl we collected the blubber from seals and burned that in lamps for light. We also kept a rope perimeter around the village in case a white out occurred. Sokka’s least favorite chief task was walking the perimeter when a break was reported. It would take him hours to walk it down!_

_The healing clinic down here has been making great progress in fully healing with a single session. The kids down here never stop getting injured slipping on ice and there’s always a bruise or bump that needs fixed._

_Have you seen the live adaptation of Miners in the Dark? Aang and I watched it years ago during one of our vacations, and I think I might have preferred it to reading the book! The story was over much faster at the very least._

_I look forward to hearing from you soon,_

_Katara_

——

_Lin,_

_I haven’t received a response from you in over a month. Has the precinct been especially busy? I know you make efforts to find housing or materials for those living on the streets to make the winter safer._

_All the best,_

_Katara_

——

_Lin,_

_It’s been six months and now we have a midnight sun instead of a noon moon._

_The summer was always the busiest time during my childhood. The birds are non stop and the leopard-caribou migrated vast distances, visiting every tribe left in the South! Winter was always the time for stories and summer was the time for working. It’s much better now than when I was a kid. Now children spend all day out in the sun, relaxing and playing. Before Sokka would go out with my father and the rest of the men to go hunting. I was never invited and Gran-Gran taught me how to make my own clothes and how to cook instead._

_Even if it was sexist, I used those skills more than I ever had to hunt, especially after marrying Aang. So it wasn’t that great of a loss to me!_

_Best wishes,_

_Katara_

——

_Lin,_

_I hope everything is alright. It’s been a year since you’ve written back, and after our consistent correspondence for nearly ten years, I’m just worried. You know how us old women can be._

_Please let me know if you are okay,_

_Katara_

——

_Aunt Katara,_

_I must apologize for making you worry. I hadn’t received your letters until very recently. My mail had been tampered with, but the issue is fixed now and shouldn’t happen again._

_I loved visiting the South Pole with you and Uncle Aang as a child. I hadn’t realized that something that appeared so barren could be so full of life and beauty. Earth has so many colors, but before visiting your home I didn’t realize the value of the color white._

_I’m not certain how I would manage in one of your winters. The ever present darkness can hide a lot of danger— our night shift here is pairs only. Republic City has a bit more crime than the Southern Water Tribe, but not for lack of trying on our end._

_I have heard reports of the healing school’s research and I’m excited to hear what discoveries you all are making. It still took a week to heal my broken ankle when I was eleven. Mom wasn’t happy that I had to stop training for three weeks and made me work on fine-motor bending. I think I must have made fifty sculptures for Uncle Aang of Appa. If anyone could discover more efficient ways to heal, it would be you and your students._

_I’ve attended many live shows this past year, but none of them were Miners in the Dark. If I see an opportunity I will critique the most recent adaptation for you. Most of the shows I attended were comedies— it is easier to be immersed in something not quite so heavy. If The Shadow of the Rock is performing in the Southern Water Tribe, you should consider it._

_I hope all is well where you are. If there is anything I can assist you with from here, please let me know._

_All my best,_

_Lin Beifong_

——

It took four drafts to send her final letter to Katara. Bumi and Kya had written her letters, and she resolved to answer them in due time. She would hand deliver her letter to the post office, and surely this one would make it down south.

——

Lin’s hours post-Tenzin and Pre-Vornak resumed. The newer recruits were uneasy with how often she was there, but she overheard the older officers telling them not to worry about it. Occasionally she heard a barbed _frigid bitch_ comment, and when she found the source of them, they often found themselves handling parking tickets or working nights. 

The city still needed her and the only one who wanted her didn’t know about the hours she kept and couldn’t complain about them. So it was fine.

——

Katara’s letters didn’t warn her enough about the new Avatar. The girl was an insufferable menace, and every time she was around so was Tenzin.

——

It had been over three decades since the last time she had gone to the South Pole. Lin had been quiet on the flight down, sitting as far away from Tenzin’s family as the saddle would allow.

The quiet allowed her to think of the past months. The way Amon had played her. How her city was suffering and her police force was stretched thin enough already, trying to stop the Triads. 

Lin tried to avoid thinking about her bending loss. She wouldn’t change any of her actions. His family, the last airbenders, were safe. Her city was free of a bloodbending psychopath. No more of her officers had to fear losing what she had. She had taken care of them to the best of her ability.

Lin wasn’t hopeful that Katara could heal what she had lost. Healing broken bones in one session was the most recent news she had heard, an upgrade from requiring days to heal a serious break.

His youngest child kept staring at her. It creeped Lin out.

——

Katara ushered Lin into her office and shut the door behind her. Lin had been healed by Katara and Kya multiple times, and knew to lay down on the bench in the room. 

The cool water gathered around her tickled, like it always did, but Lin stayed still. She wanted Katara to have the best reading possible.

When the water disappeared, any soreness that Lin felt was dissipated, and she sat up and looked at Katara. The solemn look on her face was proof enough for Lin.

“You can’t fix it, can you?” Lin croaked. She knew this was going to be her outcome, but this final proof crushed any hope she had left. Korra wasn’t fixable, and what hope did Lin have if the Spirits blessed Avatar couldn’t be fixed. Even if Katara was a bloodbender once, she wasn’t depraved like Amon had been, and didn’t have the capabilities to fix her.

Katara shook her head, a frown on her face. “I’m sorry. There’s no way for me to give your bending back to you.”

Lin gasped quietly, tears flowing down her face. She buried her head in her hands. Her job was useless if she couldn’t do the one piece that made them unique. The job she abandoned because that had seemed right at the time. The city didn’t need another non-bender skilled in hand to hand. They had that in spades. She couldn’t even put on the flaming uniform by herself. Even with all of the equipment that Sato had created, it wouldn’t come close to what she could do before. It wouldn’t be the same, even if they let her come back.

She tried to stay quiet. It wouldn’t do for Tenzin to hear her inside his mom’s office, crying like a child. 

A frail arm wrapped around her shoulders, and Lin soaked in the first comfort she received in years by someone who cared for her. Someone who wanted Lin to talk to them.

“What am I going to do?” she whispered plaintively. “The police force is my _life_.” 

A squeeze, and then “You will find something. I’ve never known a Beifong to give up, Lin, and I don’t think you are going to be the first. You have more experience managing the force than anyone else, including its founder. There are non-benders there. Would you dismiss all of the other metalbenders who lost their bending to Amon?” 

“No! No, I wouldn’t do that. Saikhan won’t do that either! We’lll... we’ll come up with something.” Lin huffed a laugh, tears still streaming down her face. “If he lets me come back after I quit on him.”

“Lin, if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll be grateful to have you back in whatever capacity you choose.” Another squeeze and then she removed her arm. “Come, have a cup of tea to soothe your emotions. I know how you are.” 

Lin gave a watery smile.

——

Korra found her later. Lin was certain that Korra had taken the news even worse than Lin had. Her friends comforted her, then, but none of them knew what it felt like. The Sato girl was more than capable without bending, and nonbenders weren’t lesser despite what Amon tried to convince the public about what benders thought. The ache of a missing piece of her soul caused Lin to breathe funny every so often, as she tried to comprehend the sheer loss.

“I’m sorry we didn’t find you in time.” the teenager started. 

Lin waved her off. “You saved Republic City, which is more than what I could do. Don’t apologize to me.” 

Lin was feeling sorry for herself, but she could do that any day of the week. It wasn’t Korra’s fault Amon took her bending. She was the Chief of Police. Head of the metal benders he hated so much. With or without Korra, he would have taken her bending.

“The only one at fault here is Amon. Not you.” 

They sat in silence, and Lin felt a small weight lift off her shoulders.

——

She couldn’t tell if Tenzin’s family was avoiding her or not. Tenzin certainly wasn’t trying to be less than formal with her, keeping his conversations dry as a bone. Pema didn’t talk to her at all, which she expected.

His kids were another matter. The oldest wanted to sit in silence with her for hours, occasionally asking a question about her life. The middle one was _incessant_ with the questions. She wanted to know everything about Lin, and she started pushing the child out the door and shutting it to get some peace and quiet.

The boy just kept staring at her. And staring. When the first words he said we’re asking for a piece of hair, she curled her lip in disgust. “Absolutely not.” He looked dejected, before smiling at her. 

It was creepy.

——

Korra managed to return her bending, and Lin could not have been more grateful to have something so intrinsic to her returned.

——

The boy was still following her around, even more interested in her now that she had her bending back. 

“Miss Lin! Can you make the rocks do something cool?” he asked her excitedly. Lin grimaced at the name; she would need to talk to Tenzin about making the kids call her something else. Maybe Chief, if Saikhan was as overwhelmed as she thought he might be, according to his letter.

She raised an eyebrow. What would this kid consider cool? 

She thought back to when her ankle was broken. She memorized how to create flying bison statues, and Appa and Oogi looked the same to her anyway. 

She stomped her foot and a statue the size of his head floated in the air. He reached out eagerly to grab it, and she let him. 

“Miss Lin! This is so cool! Can I really not have a piece of hair? What if I find you some metal, can you make things with that?” 

Lin groaned.

——

Sitting at Katara’s table, Meelo insisted on staying by her or sitting across from her. It was better than sitting across from his parents, but not by much.

“We’re ready to go back to Republic City next week, Lin.” She nodded. It was about time to go back. This was the longest stretch she had been away from the city in decades. Seeing Katara so consistently was nice, but she didn’t belong in this iced land. 

Immediately his three children began talking.

“Chief Beifong, will you visit us on the island?” the oldest daughter asked politely.

“Aunt Lin, you’ll have to start coming over for dinner! What’s your favorite foods? Mine is daikon chips, but we don’t get those very often. Can we visit you in the city? Daddy won’t let us go alone yet, but you’d protect us and we wouldn’t have to worry about anything! Is there anything fun you know about that we can go look at when we get back?” Ikki never stopped for a breath, and Lin thought it was lucky that Tenzin had taught her breath control, otherwise she would have passed out.

“Miss Lin! You have to come to the island! I want to show you all the fun places there and you’re my _hero_ , you _have_ to come with us!” Meelo was the most insistent. Lin hadn’t realized how deep his infatuation went.

In the face of three children pleading for her visits, she was speechless. The oldest, at the very least, had to know about her and Tenzin. That she wasn’t welcome back. 

Tenzin tried to cover for her, telling them that they needed to let Lin process, that she was busy.

Lin said nothing. Tenzin could break it to them later, that she wasn’t welcome on the island beyond professional duty. Even if they wanted her there, she wouldn’t go. 

Katara smiled, and Lin blushed. 

——

It was Pema who found her in the courtyard after dinner. She carried the swaddled baby close to her chest for warmth. 

Lin waited for her to say something. Moments passed, and Pema sat next to her. 

“Chief Beifong, you _are_ welcome on Air Temple Island anytime.” Lin glanced at the young woman in surprise. She had expected a quiet, ‘Don’t lead my children on.’ or something similar. “If you did decide to grace Meelo with your presence.”

“I’ll take that into consideration.” Lin tried to say her next words delicately, “Do you have _any_ defensive training?”

Pema looked startled at the question. “I— no. I didn’t think I would need—“ she stammered and Lin nodded, a frown on her face.

“You should learn. Especially if you are going to keep creating new brats with Tenzin.” Gentleness was not Lin’s strong suit, but she tried to channel the I-suggest tone she had with her officers. 

Pema huffed, “Rohan is the _last one_. Four is enough.”

Lin hummed. One was too many. “The Sato girl is gifted in non-bending martial arts. Have her teach you and the other acolytes how to defend yourselves. This won’t be the last time someone threatens your family.”

Lin stood and walked away. Let Pema think on that one. 

——

Saikhan was relieved to have her back as Chief of Police. Her officers kept giving her strange looks, but the gossip surrounding her wasn’t negative this time so she let them be. It was good for morale if they had something to gossip about, even if it was about her life outside work.

Once a week she left the station horribly early by her standards and on-time by the rest of her officers’. She took the ferry to the island and walked into their dining room, uniform still on.

Since starting their weekly tradition, Lin took on the job of distracting the kids and Korra and her friends by teaching hand to hand that could be useful in a fight. A few acolytes watched the first time, intrigued, and the second time Lin caught them watching, she forced them to join.

There wouldn’t be another defenseless island the next time if Lin had anything to say about it. The one time Pema asked, she said it was so her officers didn’t have to send extra personnel to the island in case of an attack. Asami was also an adept teacher, and Lin found herself learning new things from her as well.

They didn’t need her as an instructor, but Lin thought they might have wanted her to be anyway. 

While Asami and Lin distracted the children, Pema and the older acolytes prepared dinner, which was always a smoother affair without the children making a mess. 

Lin didn’t dwell too long on the feeling in her chest as she was invited back week after week. 

——

Meelo suddenly appearing in her office was unacceptable. His hero worship was, if not normal, tolerable _when it stayed on the island_. 

Which he currently was not. 

Her office was not well decorated. Neither she or her Mother had many personal mementos and Lin didn’t have any family to keep around. Hanging on the wall were some commendation medals she had received when she was younger, and a couple pieces of police paraphernalia. 

She didn’t have many decorations, but what she did have was not kid friendly. She knew how hard catching Meelo was. The brat was quick, but he had to slow down before he damaged something or hurt himself.

“Meelo! Sit down!” she barked. She could figure out what he wanted _later_ , but her current plan of action was to tie him to a chair.

“Aunt Lin!” she held back a groan. The only one of Tenzin’s children with any respect was the eldest. The other two insisted on calling her some variation of her first name.

“Aunt Lin! You’ll never guess what I did!” and he was probably right. She didn’t have any interest in what he did, just how in spirits name did he get into her office without Tenzin close by?

“That’s not my name! If I listen to your story will you sit?” She griped. Meelo nodded reverently, promptly sitting on an air scooter. Which... wasn’t what she had in mind, but it might be enough. And he might be distracted enough she could wrap her cables around him and call his father. 

He proceeded to tell her a much too long and detailed story involving Oogi, his family, and Korra where Korra came out the worst due to Meelo’s new defense training. 

Lin couldn’t stop herself. She barked out a laugh and covered her mouth with her hands. She couldn’t recall the last time her officers had heard her laugh. Meelo had left her door open, and she could see Lao cranning his head to see what was going on. She immediately schooled her expression and slammed the door shut. 

“It’s good to hear you’re getting some use of the defense training. Meelo, where are your parents?” 

“They’re at the market! Momma wouldn’t let me touch anything and I was _bored_. And Daddy showed us where you worked and I wanted to say hi! Jinora and Ikki are going to be so jealous!” Lin ignored the tiny part of her that liked hearing that her company was coveted by the three kids. She didn’t want to spend time with them, but she felt vindicated the reverse wasn’t true.

“Meelo, you shouldn’t run away from your parents! You’re what, three?” Lin had no idea how children aged. 

“I’m five and a half!” Meelo piped indignantly, puffing himself up. 

“Right, well. You have to stay here until your parents come looking for you. Why don’t you... meditate or something?” Lin would have sulked at being kept in an office all day at five years old. Lin _did_ sulk when her mother had kept her in an office at five years old.

“I already did that this morning! I don’t want to do it again!” 

This... obstinance was why Lin refused to have children in the first place. She didn’t have the patience for it. 

“You should have thought about that before running away!” she scolded. “I don’t keep things in my office for children to play with.”

She stood up and walked towards the rest of the office, snaking a cable around Meelo’s wrist as she walked by. He pulled and pouted at the action, but allowed himself to be dragged along. 

“Officer Lao!” Lao was hardly pretending to do anything but eavesdrop on her, so she might as well make him useful. “Councilman Tenzin is probably looking for his lost son. Find him and let him know that he’s with me. He was at the market in Omashu Plaza.”

Lao nodded and grabbed a radio. Satisfied, she and Meelo went back to her office, shutting and locking the door behind her. “If you don’t think of something not destructive to do, I’m going to tie you to that chair until you come up with something. I can’t have you blowing my papers all willy nilly.”

Meelo perked up at the idea of doing something besides meditation, but he couldn’t think of anything and quickly drooped again. Lin sighed, before remembering her mom’s old things she had never bothered moving out of the office. 

“Can you read?” He nodded. She pulled out her mom’s typing machine and the key that went with it. “This presses shapes into paper to match letters. Go nuts.” The brat wasted no time grabbing paper and trying to break her mom’s machine. Good riddance to it. She retracted her cable and sat back down and resumed reading the file she had been interrupted on.

Other than the quiet clicking of the machine, Meelo was mostly silent. Lin progressed through most of her paperwork before there was a firm knock at the door. She opened it without standing to find a harried Tenzin and Pema, baby cradled in her arms.

“One of your officers told us Meelo was with you?” Tenzin said urgently.

Lin started reading the next file on her desk and pointed at the boy on the floor, still playing with her mom’s machine. “He’s right there, isn’t he?”

At the commotion, Meelo perked up and started flying in the air again. “Momma! Daddy! Aunt Lin has such a fun job, and I got to tell her the story where I made Korra fall over and I got to do it before Ikki and Jinora!And she let me make bumpy letters!” The two girls were slowly shuffling into her office, and really, it wasn’t meant for 7 people, even if four of them were children.

“Are you all done here? Some of us have actual work to do.” Lin said dryly. If this never happened again, it would be too soon. 

“Can we each spend a day with Aunt Lin? If Meelo got to, it’s only fair!” Ikki complained. Lin couldn’t stop the immediate rejection that covered her face. Jinora looked hopeful too, but didn’t want to press.

“Children, Chief Beifong is busy and her job is _dangerous_. Meelo shouldn’t have been here this afternoon.” His two daughters look dejected. Lin thought for a moment. 

She grabbed one of the paperweights on her desk and morphed it into a lemur, before sending it to Ikki, who grabbed it and held on to it tightly. A second paperweight turned into a badgermole and she sent it to Jinora, who grasped it much more delicately. “Here, as a souvenir, so you don’t have to come back. It’s better than an arrest record.”

She looked at Pema as she said it, and was rewarded with an indignant eye roll. “Now out, all of you.” 

Meelo flitted around to give her a hug before leaving and she went rigid as he wrapped his little arms around her seated frame. It would be bad form to violently push a four year old off of her, even if it was a snot nosed one, but Lin could do gentle but very firm pushes and it would be fine. Before she could push him off, the other two children joined their brother and she spat an uninhibited, threatening “Get _off_ me.”, pushing with all the gentleness she could muster.

All three kids dutifully went back to their parents, enthusiastically waving and saying good bye. Pema was gripping her son’s hand tightly. As they walked out, Lao was looking at her open office door and made eye contact with Lin. 

“Officer Lao, get in here.” Sheepish at being caught, Lao slowly walked in. “If I hear a word of this mentioned again, I will know who it came from, and you will be working nights.”

“Yes, Chief.” Lin knew he was disappointed at not being able to share her personal business around the precinct, but she hadn’t had personal business to share for fifteen years and it wasn’t going to start now. 

He had certainly already told the others on duty about Meelo being there in the first place, but as long as her being called Aunt Lin wasn’t the topic, she would tolerate it. 

“You’re dismissed.” 

Lao hightailed it out of her office.

——

Korra insisted on spending time with her. Tenzin tried not to push, but he was not inclined to deny his children anything, spoiling them rotten. Pema didn’t push her away. Korra’s friends kept inviting her for drinks even after she declined for the twentieth time. The children followed her around like persistent, annoying shadows. Katara’s letters got longer and longer as more benders wanted to become healers. 

Republic City would always need her, but it was nice, being wanted.

**Author's Note:**

> Oops this ending sucks but I’m hoping to continue this work in a series. I’ve only finished Book 1/Season 1, but I’m hoping to finish the rest of it in this upcoming month. 
> 
> This was written in the hours 10PM to 2AM over three consecutive nights.
> 
> Ikki once they walk out of Lin’s office: mom have you been arrested??  
> Pema: Yes. No we’re not talking about it.
> 
> Find me on twitter: @lilyliv3rs


End file.
